MPCA NEWS

RFPs Sought for Program Evaluation

Michigan Primary Care Association is seeking request for proposals (RFP) from expert consultants to conduct an evaluation of a two-year statewide initiative titled “Linking Clinical Care with Community Supports” or Linkages. The focus of the project, launched in 2015 and funded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, was to expand patient care teams to meaningfully utilize trained and certified Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Michigan’s Health Centers. Since March 2015, 28 CHWs have been employed in 16 Michigan Health Centers, providing patient support by assessing and documenting patients’ needs and then linking them to necessary community resources including food, housing, employment, safe places to exercise, group support activities, recreational opportunities, social engagement and more.

Qualified consultants will have access to the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services data warehouse and have experience in analyzing different types of data, including the intersection of clinical and non-clinical outcomes.

For a copy of the RFP and accompanying documents, send an email to Julie Tatko. The deadline for RFP submission is Wednesday, May 25, 2016.

MPCA Promotions

Michigan Primary Care Association (MPCA) is pleased to announce the promotion of Julie Tatko to Director of Operations & Enabling Services and Ryan Grinnell-Ackerman to Government Affairs Manager.

Julie will lead the Operations & Enabling Services team where her focus will include training and technical assistance for Health Center operations, finance and billing as well as access to care, including Linkages and outreach supports.

As MPCA looks to the future, policy and advocacy will continue to evolve and influence the strategic direction of health care in the state as well as at MPCA. In recognition of this, Ryan will lead MPCA's efforts in policy and grassroots advocacy.

Alongside the promotions, the team structure within MPCA has changed. For the most up-to-date team structure and contact information, visit the MPCA Staff webpage.

The Michigan LGBT Health Summit will take place at Double Tree by Hilton Bay City Riverfront in Bay City, Michigan on June 13, 2016, from 8:30 am - 4:00 pm ET. Registration is now open - additional details and the tentative agenda is also available through the registration link.

MPCA Now Hiring

Michigan Primary Care Association is seeking an Outreach Specialist to support the implementation of the Linking Clinical Care with Community Supports, or Linkages program. The specialist will provide technical assistance, training, education and support to participating Health Centers and partners.

The Center for Michigan Seeks Hosts for Community Conversations

The Center for Michigan is looking for host locations for their Community Conversations series. The Community Conversations are statewide, town hall-style public engagement meetings with the goal to gather Michigan residents’ thoughts, ideas, opinions and priorities.

The topic, Restoring Public Trust in State Government, will open a dialogue on public services delivered by state government; Michigan elected officials and the political process; residents' ideas for improving state government services and Michigan politics. The goal of this round of discussions is to determine what state residents know, want, fear, feel hopeful about, and prioritize when it comes to trust in our state government. The Center for Michigan will be gathering input from more than 5,000 Michigan residents on both the barriers and potential solutions for improving their trust during 2016.

The Michigan Primary Care Association encourages Michigan Health Centers to consider being a host for conversations to be held in your community. As a Community Conversation host, you’ll selected the date, time and location (preferably at your Health Center) and invite 20 - 50 residents to participate. A moderator from the Center for Michigan will then lead the discussion, collect both quantitative data with clicker devices and qualitative data from notes taken during the discussion. In addition, the data collected will be part of the final report for state leaders and also shared with hosts to be used locally. Finally, The Center for Michigan will provide hosts with many tools to help invite participants, including an RSVP link, a sample invitation letter, a one-pager about the Conversation, a flyer, and sample social media posts.

If you are interested in serving as a host for a Community Conversation, contact Amber DeLind, Engagement Strategy Director. The Center for Michigan is looking to secure locations for Community Conversations through December 2016.

Zika Virus Status in Michigan Webinar Scheduled

Michigan Primary Care Association invites you to attend an upcoming webinar on the Zika Virus Status In Michigan scheduled for May 17, 2016 from 9:30 - 10:30 am ET.

Eden Wells, Chief Medical Executive, Michigan Department of Health & Human Services will provide an overview of the Zika Virus, including the current status and the potential impact it has on Michigan. In addition, Dr. Wells will discuss Michigan's role in monitoring and responding to the virus and provide resources for clinicians. This webinar includes a live discussion forum for questions and answers. There is no cost to attend, but advance registration is required.

Please note that you must be logged in to MPCA’s online community when registering for MPCA-hosted events to receive a discounted rate if your organization is an MPCA member. If you are subscribed to the MPCA eUpdate, you have a profile in MPCA's online community. If you have forgotten your password, please use the "forgot password" link under the sign-in box to reset your password. If you need further assistance, please contact info@mpca.net.

MPCA posts job openings at Michigan Health Center Program grantees, Michigan FQHC Look-Alikes, and MPCA active member organizations. To submit a job opening for posting in the online MPCA Career Center and in the MPCA eUpdate, email the job title, a brief overview, a bulleted list of qualifications, and instructions on how to apply to info@mpca.net with Job Posting in the subject field.

Expanded Medicaid Services Now Available in Flint

On Monday, May 9, 2016, the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services announced Flint residents who were served by the city's water system within the last two years can begin enrolling for health coverage including case management services for children under the age of 21 and women who are pregnant.

"Thanks to this waiver, comprehensive health benefits are now available to approximately 15,000 more residents who were served by the Flint water system,” said Nick Lyon, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). “It’s important that residents are aware of the supports offered through this coverage, including case managers that can connect residents to health care resources in the community.”

In addition to Medicaid, Healthy Michigan Plan or MIChild, Flint residents can get targeted case management services to connect residents with medical, educational, social and other services they may need. Read more.

On May 4, 2016, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced over $260 million in funding for facility renovation, expansion or construction at 290 Health Centers in 45 states under the Health Infrastructure Investment Program (HIIP). Among the awardees, ten Michigan Health Centers.

A total of $10,000,000 of HIIP grants were awarded to the following Michigan Health Centers:

Health Center Organization

Location

Grant Amount

Center for Family Health, Inc.

Jackson

$1,000,000

Covenant Community Care, Inc.

Detroit

$1,000,000

Advantage Health Centers

Detroit

$1,000,000

Family Health Center, Inc.

Kalamazoo

$1,000,000

Genesee Health System

Flint

$1,000,000

Intercare Community Health Network

Bangor

$1,000,000

Sterling Area Health Center

Sterling

$1,000,000

Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center

Gwinn

$1,000,000

The Wellness Plan

Detroit

$1,000,000

Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center

Gwinn

$1,000,000

“The awards granted by HHS will enable Michigan Health Centers to provide primary and preventive services to additional residents in their respective communities,” states Kim Sibilsky, Chief Executive Officer, Michigan Primary Care Association. “The demand for health care services continues to grow and the awards will enable Health Centers to grow their space in order to meet the growing demand in medically underserved areas of Michigan.”

The funding for the HIIP comes from the Affordable Care Act’s Community Health Center (CHC) Fund, which was extended with bipartisan support in the Medicare Access and CHIP reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015.

The funding is projected to reach an additional 52,956 Michigan residents.

Currently, 39 Michigan Health Centers serve more than 615,000 residents at more than 250 delivery sites. The doors of Health Centers are open to all, regardless of insurance status and with fees based on household income. To learn more about Michigan Health Centers and find a Health Center near you, please visit www.mpca.net.

ICYMI: CMS Issues Important Documents for Medicare & Medicaid

**As provided in the Washington Update, May 3, 2016, National Association of Community Health Centers**

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released four important documents with implications for Health Centers:

The Proposed Rule outlining how Medicare will pay doctors (but not FQHCs) under the new Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Incentive System created by MACRA – 900+ pages.

Two pieces of sub-regulatory guidance – a State Health Official Letter specific to FQHC payment and contracting, and another guidance on Medicaid eligibility for “re-entering” populations – those who have recently left the jail/ prison system.

The National Association of Community Health Centers will provide additional detailed information on both the Final Rule on Medicaid Managed Care and the State Health Official Letter in the future.